The Insider: Daily Terrorism Report

July 12, 2004 -- — Iraqi insurgents threatening to kill a Filipino hostage unless the government agrees to an early troop withdrawal from the Middle East country have extended the deadline until Tuesday, an official said. The group that abducted truck driver Angelo dela Cruz, 46, near Fallujah initially gave the Philippines until 11 p.m. Sunday Baghdad time to agree to pull its troops out of Iraq by July 20. But the Philippines said its 51 soldiers and police would leave Aug. 20, as scheduled.

And following Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge's warning last week, the Bush administration has discussed the idea obtaining the authority to delay the November presidential election in case of an attack by al Qaeda. U.S. counterterrorism officials are looking at an emergency proposal on the legal steps needed to postpone the presidential election in case of such an attack, Newsweek reported on Sunday.

IRAQ NEWS

Deadline for Filipino Hostage Extended

Iraqi captors of Filipino hostage extend deadline to kill him, official says. (AP)

Blair Accused Over WMD Evidence

Two ex-intelligence officers have cast doubt over the way Tony Blair went about trying to justify war with Iraq. (BBC)

France, Iraq Re-Establish Diplomatic Ties

France and Iraq re-establish diplomatic ties after 13 years. (AP)

Iraq Says Zarqawi Likely Seeking WMD Materials

Iraq's national security adviser said Sunday unconventional weapons material might have gone to neighboring states in the war and Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is probably trying to get some. (Reuters)

Zarqawi Group Claims Suicide Attack in Samarra

The group led by suspected al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has said it carried out an attack in Iraq last week that killed five U.S. soldiers and two Iraqis. (Reuters)

Nations Slow to Deliver Iraq Aid

Little of the $13 billion promised for rebuilding has been donated and countries are hesitant to waive debt, frustrating the new government. (LA Times)

Iraq to Consult Iran On Saddam Charges

The Iraqi lawyer organizing the trial of Saddam Hussein will visit Tehran soon to discuss the charges which Iran wants to bring against the former Iraqi leader, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday. (Reuters)

THE WAR ON TERROR

INVESTIGATIONS

U.S.

U.S. Mulling How to Delay Nov. Vote in Case of Attack

A senior House Democratic lawmaker was skeptical on Sunday of a Bush administration idea to obtain the authority to delay the November presidential election in case of an attack by al Qaeda. (Reuters)

White House Urged to Pick CIA Chief

President Bush is facing pressure to nominate a permanent CIA director quickly after a Senate Intelligence Committee report revealed serious breakdowns in U.S. intelligence-gathering and analysis. (AP)

Spain

Spain Police Arrest Rail Bombing Suspect

Spanish police have arrested a new suspect in connection with the Madrid rail bombings, a court official said Monday. (AP)

The Talkative Terrorist On Tape: Madrid Plot 'Was My Project'

Terrorists are not usually talkers. The man who calls himself the mastermind of the train bombings in Madrid is an exception. (NY Times)

9/11 Commission

Sept. 11 Panel Nears Completion of Report

Working in secret, the Sept. 11 commission is finishing a final report that several members believe will be done by week's end and have unanimous support. (AP)

9/11 Report is Said to Dismiss Iraq-Qaeda Alliance

The final, probably unanimous Senate report will largely dismiss theories about a close relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda. (NY Times)

Pakistan

Security Forces, Terror Suspects Clash in S. Waziristan Region

Security forces and suspected terrorists exchanged fire early yesterday in Pakistan's restive South Waziristan region but there were no reports of casualties on either side, news reports and senior military officials said. (Arab News)

Afghanistan

Afghan Police Defuse Bomb At Kabul International Airport

Police at Kabul's international airport have discovered and defused a bomb while checking the passengers' luggage. Sayed Ashraf Sadat, the information director of Kabul airport, said that one passenger handed over a piece of luggage to an airport porter and left the airport. The luggage, which looked suspicious, was checked by the police by means of electronic devices. As a result a bomb placed in the luggage was discovered. (Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran — BBC Monitoring)

Saudi Arabia

Saudis Facing Return of Radicals Young Iraq veterans join underground. (Washington Post)

Time Running Out, Abdullah Tells Terrorists

Crown Prince Abdullah has warned militants still in hiding to take advantage of the days remaining before an amnesty ends this month or face a renewed crackdown. (Arab News)

Cyprus

No Terror Charges Against Pakistanis Deported From Cyprus

Foreign office spokesman, Masood Khan has said that there was no allegation of terrorism against the 10 deported Pakistani students from Cyprus as they were deported merely on suspicions and doubts. (Pakistan Times)

Mali

Al Qaeda Suspects Arrested

Authorities arrested Mauritanians suspected of belonging to al Qaeda network. They are believed to have trained in Afghanistan and met with Osama bin Laden before the Sept. 11 attacks. Mauritanian authorities refused to confirm or deny the news. (Asharq Al Awsat)

Yemen

Militants Threaten Prosecutor During Yemen Terror Trial

Militants allegedly involved in an attack on a French oil tanker threatened the prosecutor during a court hearing yesterday that they would cut off his legs. (Arab News)

Seven Supporters of Yemeni Rebel Said Killed On July 11th

Seven of cleric Husayn Badr al-Din al-Huthi's supporters were killed by security forces in Sa'ada governorate on Sunday (7/11/04), bringing the death toll to 180 people, the ruling National Congress party said Sunday. Al-Jazeera satellite channel said a Yemeni security official affirmed that the government's security troops have launched an intensive operation in Sa'ada's area of Maran. On Saturday, an official source at Sa'ada's local authority said that some 25 elements loyal to Al-Huthi were killed and 50 others injured in an attack on their stronghold. He added that the government forces have become about 600-800 meters closer to Al-Huthi's remaining points. (MENA news agency — BBC Monitoring)

Sudan

Two Sudanese Suspected to Be Al Qaeda Members Arrested in Brussels

Belgian police have said they arrested two Sudanese nationals at the Brussels airport on Saturday (7/10/04). A local TV station said the arrested Sudanese were suspected to be members of the al Qaeda organization led by, Osamah Bin Laden. The VTM TV station, which broadcasts in Dutch, added that the arrested men arrived in Brussels from Athens Greece and were traveling on forged passports. A separate source, however, added that Belgian police did not give more details regarding the arrest but said that more arrests were anticipated in the future. (Sudanile web site — BBC Monitoring)

Australia

Australia Denies Terror Suspect Illegally Deported to France

Australian officials are denying terror suspect Willie Brigitte was illegally deported to France and played down reports he could be freed if an appeal about the procedure was upheld. (AFP)

ANALYSIS & OPINION

Blair and Scarlett Told Me Iraq Had No Usable Weapons

This is the most extraordinary failure in the history of British intelligence. (The Guardian)

Bush's Pre-emptive Strategy Meets Some Untidy Reality

Even as President Bush turns his doctrine of pre-emptive action against powers threatening the United States into a campaign theme, Washington is using a far more subdued, take-it-slow approach to the dangers of unconventional weapons in Iran and North Korea. (NY Times)

America is Not Opposed to Religious Democracies

Rami G. Khouri's "How the US and Israel misunderstand the Arab world" (June 26) begs a few questions. He states: "Americans value personal liberty, while Arabs sacrifice individual freedoms in favor of the collective identity of their religious, family, tribal, ethnic or national groupings." The personal liberties he refers to are a by-product of the collective freedoms enjoyed by Americans and other democratic countries. (The Daily Star)

A History Lesson in Iraq

The Americans could learn a lot from Sheikh Jouwad Mehdi Al-Khalasi. A tall, distinguished man who speaks with eloquence and humor, he has the same forehead and piercing eyes of his grandfather — the man who led the Shiite Muslim insurrection against British occupation in 1920. (The Independent)

Did Our Spies Let Us Down?

This week, Lord Butler will deliver his verdict on how the West came to misjudge Saddam's arsenal of deadly weapons. Intelligence agencies are in the firing line. But the government, too, may have cause to fear his findings. Special report by Gaby Hinsliff, Jason Burke, Paul Harris and Antony Barnett. (The Observer)

Done Solo?

The Arabs, writes Clovis Maksoud , must wonder: could they have removed a ruthless dictator like Saddam Hussein by themselves? (Al Ahram Weekly)

The Israelis in Iraq

Israeli presence in Iraq is a fact. (Al Hayat)

A Gap in Terror Defenses In Central America, reforms are needed. (Washington Post)

Intercepting Bioterrorism

America is at a very dangerous crossroads. Not only al Qaeda but also terrorist groups such as Jemaah Islamiah are working on acquiring or developing new terrorism capabilities, including bioweapons. Will we be prepared? (Washington Post)

Preventing a U.N. Whitewash

After months of relative silence, former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker — who is heading what is supposed to be an independent commission examining the U.N. handling of the Oil for Food program in Iraq — is trying to allay concerns about his investigation. (Washington Post)

C.I.A. Bungling On Iraq Tells Only Half the Story

Intelligence-gathering is as much an art subject to human foibles and manipulation as it is a science. Yet the limits of intelligence never gave pause to a White House bent on war with Iraq from the outset. (USA Today)

'A Body Blow To Us Credibility' The Senate report sets the tone for Butler by blaming the C.I.A. (Chicago Tribune)

Unpatriotic Acts

It would be no loss of face for President Bush and Republican leaders in Congress to agree that a multifaceted piece of legislation passed in haste after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 falls short of perfection. (Boston Globe)

The Insider Daily Terrorism Report (DTR) is a summary of major news articles and broadcasts relating to international terrorism and developments in Iraq. The DTR is edited daily from foreign and U.S. sources by Chris Isham, Hoda Osman, and Brinda Adhikari of the ABCNEWS Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.